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The 2014 London Bird Report is now out - to get a copy please click here Please feel free to add more general sightings to General Sightings! Wednesday 5th October 2016 *Bankside SE1: 12:35 Guillemot floating upriver, last seen just before Waterloo Bridge - and there's a picture on Birdguides of presumably the same bird seen in Greenwich. (Looking back on this site, Oct 3-5 seem to be good dates for Guillemot in London!) (Reuben Braddock) *Brent Reservoir: 4 Egyptian Geese, eclipse Wigeon, eclipse Pintail, 190+ Tufted Duck, 24 Pochard, 2 Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, 18 Snipe, 11 Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail (Roy Beddard, Bob Husband, Steve Leeke) *Hackney Marshes: Great Black-backed Gull at north end, Little Egret on Old River Lea (~0730), 2 Teal and 2 Little Grebe on Old River (~0900) (Alastair Dent) *Hyde Park: 1 Spotted Flycatcher in sycamore north of Serpentine briefly (~1130), 1 Tree Sparrow flew west calling over same location. (Daniel Langston) *Leatherhead Station: 1 Common Buzzard circling low overhead 08:40 (Neil Batten) *London Wetland Centre: 1 Pintail, 1 Peregrine, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Water Rail, 7 Snipe, 80+ Shoveler, 60+ Wigeon (WWT Website) 3 Meadow Pipit dropped onto grazing marsh (Martin Honey) *Purfleet: 1 Sandwich Tern, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Dunlin, 6 Ringed Plover, 91 Redshank, 113 Lapwing, 37 Teal, 9 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall, 5 Yellow-legged Gull (Fraser Simpson) *Raven's Ait, Kingston: Little Egret N, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard mobbed over Home Park, 7 Lapwing dropped into the park from the W, 135 Stock Dove (63 S/SE, 72 left to SE from Home Park horse pasture), Redwing E (Andrew Skotnicki) *Snaresbrook Crown Court: No sign of Yellow-browed Warbler at 7-7.30am, Siskin NE (Stuart Fisher) *Tottenham Marshes (By Tottenham Hale Business Parks- far S End): Honey Buzzard seen drifting low SW for 3 minutes from 13.01 to 13.04pm. Drifted off leisurely over the new Tottenham Hale flats/Station area - Classic Pale Type Bird with Cuckoo type head & long tail clearly visible. Is this the latest London record as never seen one in Europe in October before? (Davey Leach). Hi Davey, the latest record is 21 November 1976 at Barn Elms Reservoirs (Lee Dingain). *Waterfall Walk (Brunswick Park): 4 Sand Martin (James Palmer) *Woodberry Wetlands: First returning Common Gull, Sparrowhawk, 4 Teal (Chris Farthing) Tuesday 4th October 2016 * Alexandra Park: 9 Meadow Pipit, 2 Song Thrush, 3 Chiffchaff 0715-0750 (Bob Watts) * Barnes, Barn Elms Playing Fields: 20 Wigeon onto LWC from W, Shag flew W 07.40 (excellent record) (JR), 3 Tawny Owl, very showy here at dawn, 14 alba Wagtail S, 44 Meadow Pipit S/SE and in, 4 Redwing SW/N, 14 Song Thrush SE and in, 24 Linnet SE/NW, 4 Red Admiral SW. (R.Kaye) * Battersea Park: Firecrest '''behind estate agents at Rosary Gate very restless coincides with high wind from 4:10pm, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Coal Tit, Greenfinch feeding in Yew (noticed lot of yew trees stripped of berries already!), pr Grey Wagtail on lake, Teal and Shoveler, Peregrine on tower by Chelsea Bridge (Michael Mac) * Brent Reservoir: Best of vis-mig 06:45-08:45: 20 Redwing, 4 Fieldfare, 7 Song Thrush, 15 Meadow Pipit, 8 Pied Wagtail, also male Peregrine over Dump (Andrew Self, Andrew Verrall) *Brixton: Common Buzzard flying east (John Newton) * Brookmill Park: Little Egret (Tom Moulton) *Chingford Plain: '''Hobby catching invertebrates on the wing at c1.30pm, also 5 Meadow Pipit, 4 Stonechat, Chiffchaff (Ken Murray) * Cranford Park, Hayes: Song Thrush, 2 Meadow Pipits, Kingfisher, 2 Little Grebes along river, 2 Jays, 2 Buzzards, Kestrel, Dunnock, Wren (Sue Giddens) * Finsbury Park: 7 Gadwall, Red-crested Pochard, Shoveler, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail. RSPCA in attendance to deal with Greylag Geese covered in red EPDM rubber from the re-laying of the athletics track (Chris Farthing) *Gunpowder Park: Yellow-browed Warbler with tit flock on western perimeter path, mid-morning (Birdguides) *Hampstead Heath: 2 Little Egrets E past Jack Straws Castle and over Vale of Health at 0955 (Pete Mantle) *Hampstead Garden Suburb: Red Kite low NE over Sheridan Walk 1350 (Pete Mantle) *High Barnet: Red Kite over low heading S at 15.30 (Roy Beddard) *Leatherhead, Common Meadow: 2 juvenile Little Grebe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Kestrel, 4 Stock Dove, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit (Neil Batten) *London Wetland Centre: M + F Whinchat, 3+ Stonechat, 2 Reed Bunting wader scrape 12:30-13:00 (S. Barry) *Oxleas Wood: Pair Common Buzzard (crabbing and displaying), Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Jackdaw (pair), Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Tawny Owl (calling), Sparrowhawk (m/fm), Kestrel (fm) (Ron Turner) *Purfleet: 3 Golden Plover, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 21 Dunlin, 9 Ringed Plover, 43 Redshank, 29 Lapwing, 40 Teal, 12 Wigeon, 7 Yellow-legged Gull (Fraser Simpson) *Richmond Park: 2 Wigeon, Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, Grey Wagtail, 9 Meadow Pipit, 4 Swallow, m Stonechat, 2 low Rook over (1 calling) at tree top level Hawthorn Valley area (Neil Anderson) * Ridgeway (Mill Hill): 12 Redwing over heading East, also Coal Tit (Samuel Levy) *Snaresbrook Crown Court: Yellow-browed Warbler in trees on front lawn, 07:10 (Stuart Fisher) *Tottenham Marshes: Peregrine (Chalk Bridge), Whinchat, 2 Stonechat (Clendish Marsh) (James Palmer) *Woodberry Wetlands: Common Buzzard circling to the SW @10:30, Kingfisher, 3 Wigeon, Little Egret, 2 Teal (Chris Farthing) *Woodford Green: 3 different (brown/tan and olive backed) Chiffchaff at least through the garden this am, plus Song Thrush and Tawny Owl (Ken Murray) Monday 3rd October 2016 * Alexandra Park: Whinchat 08.30 cricket scrub, 5 Meadow Pipit over (Brian Milligan); 2 Redwing south 0655, also Meadow Pipit, Stonechat ' fem/1w around SW perimeter 1815 at least (1st of year), 5 Chiffchaffs in mixed tit flock, 65 Ring-necked Parakeets went to roost flying east over Wood Green Res 1810 - record for site (Bob Watts); Stonechat still 1845 (Gareth Richards); Grey Wagtail, Kestrel (Peter Corley) * Brent Reservoir: 3 Little Egret, Pintail, 6 Egyptian Goose, 2 Green Sandpiper, 13 Common Snipe, same juv fem Peregrine as yesterday 08:20, 21 Redwing, 1st 3 Fieldfare, 5 Chiffchaff (Andrew Verrall, Andrew Haynes); 45 species 1158-1434hrs, including 75 Northern Shoveler, 114 Eurasian Teal, 153 Tufted Duck (but no sign of Ferruginous Duck), 44 Moorhen, 151 Eurasian Coot, 3 Green Sandpipers, 1 Common Gull, 264 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Goldcrest, 3 Common Chiffchaff, and 2 Meadow Pipit and 2 Siskin over (Dominic Mitchell) * Cowley, Uxbridge: 4 Common Buzzards displaying/fighting over garden at 14.45 (Roger Morton) * Dollis Brook (Between Fursby allotments and Playground): Kingfisher, 3 Grey Wagtail (Samuel Levy) * East India Dock Basin: 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 97 Teal (John Archer). * Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 25 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Common Gull, 1 Dunlin, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Redshank, 13 Teal (Mike Robinson) *East Dulwich SE22: 5 Common Buzzard over my garden - 4 together in one group circled for a couple of minutes before drifting south (Steven Robinson) * Hampstead Heath: 15 Song Thrush, 4 Linnets, 4 Swallows (S), 30 Meadow Pipits, 10 ''alba Wagtails, 15 Chiffchaffs, Single Skylark and Siskin (Pete Mantle); also 2 Stonechats (G.Grandad) * Lake Farm Country Park, Hayes: 2 Redwing over, 36 Song Thrush, 9 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap (Dave Morris per FJM); juvenile '''Black Redstart '''on playing field fence S of school at 1600 (earlier reported on Birdguides) (Bill Haines). *Leatherhead, Randalls Way: 3 Common Buzzard circling distantly to the east (Neil Batten) *London Wetland Centre: 7 Snipe, 62 Wigeon, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Wheatear, 2 Peregrine, 3 Water Rail, 20+ Meadow Pipit (SW) (WWT Website) *Oxleas Wood: Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Tawny Owl (calling), Jackdaw, Whinchat (m), Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Mistle Thrush (Ron Turner) * Richmond Park: 11 Common Buzzard 8 thermalling together at 13:45, 9 Stonechat (excludes Pond Slade and environs), Hobby still, hunting over Pen Ponds, Peregrine through, 3 Skylark and at least 50 Meadow Pipit on the Bog, 1 but probably 2 Kingfisher, 100+ Swallow and 20 or so House Martin noted afternoon, 6 Teal, 4 Gadwall, Reed Bunting, a Linnet lingered over Lawn Field, a charge of Red Admirals through, Small Copper and Small Heath still on the wing (Frank Nugent). *Rotherhithe: 2 Little Grebe, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Egyptian Goose, 3 Jay at Southwark Park, Kingfisher, 10 Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker at Russia Dock woodland (J & J Cadera) *Stoneleigh Broadway KT17: Redwing over calling at 19:00 (Neil Batten) *Thames Ditton, KT7: 1 Swallow flying south (Billy Dykes) * Woodberry Wetlands: Water Rail, Stonechat, 3 Wigeon, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, 2 Reed Bunting, Yellow-legged Gull (Chris Farthing) * Woodford Green: 3 Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, male Sparrowhawk through garden with a '''Rook going South at 9.25am, plus 5 Common Buzzards passing over between 11.10-11.15am. and my first Redwings of the Autumn, flights of 20, 12 and 4 over (Ken Murray) Sunday 2nd October 2016 *Alexandra Park: 10 Meadow Pipit, Siskin Top Field, 6 Swallows SW, Jackdaw(Dominic Mitchell, Gareth a Richards) *Barnes, Lonsdale Road Reservoir: reposting after a deletion... 4 Great Skua '''circled 13.40 then up into cloud base, '''Osprey S 10.40, male Hen Harrier S 11.20, Goshawk circled then into cloud base 13.40, 2''' Marsh Harrier''' S, 11.45 and 15.05, 2 Buzzard S, 2 Kestrel S, Water Rail (R.Kaye)'' - This post exemplifies why London birders are amongst the very best - fantastic work (JR)'' *Belvedere, Thames (off Crabtree Manorway North): 1 Lapwing, 1 Redshank, 18 Ringed Plover (Mike Robinson) *Brent Reservoir: drake Ferruginous Duck just south of Cool Oak Lane bridge, Pintail, Common Buzzard over at 10:09, 2 Peregrine, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 20 Snipe, 1st Brambling and Siskin of Autumn over, also Redwing, 264 House Martin, 46 Swallow (Brent Birders); 1 Little Egret and Jack Snipe '''showing well at 15:15 (Frank Nugent). *Bushy Park: 20-30 House Martin flying west 9.45 am (Ian R Watson) *Canons Park (& Seven Acre Lake - Private site), Edgware, Middx. HA8: 4 Common Buzzard migrating west, 18 Swallows briefly over lake, perched female Kingfisher, 4 Great Crested Grebe - 2 adults & 2 stripy young - 5 Cormorants, 3 Grey Heron (Bob Husband et al, NW London RSPB Group - regular Birdwalk) *Chiswick, W4: 2 Buzzard SW, 1 Hobby high over, 1 imm '''Gannet flew very low SW 14.06, was then picked up over Chiswick Bridge going SW by FJM at 14.08 (Oscar Dewhurst). *Crossness: Spoonbill flew high NE @ 12:00, probable_Red-footed Falcon fem circled then flew S @ 12:10, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Wigeon, 2 Shoveler, 2 Stonechat male + female, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe, 1 Little Egret, 1 Yellow-legged Gull adult, 8 Chiffchaff, 6 Goldcrest, 1 Blackcap, 1 Hybrid Shelduck (John Archer) *Crossness:10:00-13:00, 6 Little Egret, 3 Wigeon, 10 Gadwall, 150 Teal, 2 Buzzard(over Belvedere Station), 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Redshank, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail,5 Cetti's Warbler (George Kalli)(LNHS) *Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 23 Black-tailed Godwit, 11 Teal (Mike Robinson) *Fryent Country Park: 2 Redwing, 2 Grey Wagtail, Common Buzzard (Joe Taylor). *Hackney E8 Buzzard circling high over Dalston area 13:20 (Sue Barry) *Hackney Marshes : 0930 to 1030: Little Egret below end of flood relief channel, juv Stock Dove north end, Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk near Middlesex Filter Beds (Alastair Dent) *Lake Farm Country Park, Hayes: 1 Black Redstart imm, near school fence (Dave Morris per FJM) *London Wetland Centre: 1 Stonechat, 1 Wheatear, 1 Pintail, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Peregrine, 5 Snipe, 3 Swallow (SW) (WWT Website) *What happened to Lonsdale R records today?? (Pete Mantle) *Lower Clapton E5: 4 Redwing over high east at 1315 (Alastair Dent) *Purfleet: 39 Dunlin, 14 Ringed Plover, 32 Teal, 7 Yellow-legged Gull (Fraser Simpson) *RSPB Rainham Marshes: 3cy Caspian Gull (pics here) (Dante Shepherd); 2 Whinchats, Marsh Harrier, 3 Greenshanks, 3 Ruffs, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits (Ian Bradshaw); also 2 Pied Wagtail, 308 Teal, Cetti's Warbler, 40 Lapwing, 405 Greylag, Marsh Harrier, 2 Bearded Tit, 42 Swallow, Peregrine, 6 Kestrel, Fieldfare, 2 Grey Wagtail, 4 Ruff, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 21 Shovelers, 20 Gadwall, 5 Snipe, 3 Stonechat, 26 Linnet, 4 Pochard, Kingfisher, 2 Buzzard, 2 Redwing, 2 Sparrowhawk, Willow Warbler, 51 House Martin (Samuel Levy) ''' *Rammey Marsh: Buzzard (James Palmer) *Ruislip Lido/Woods: Little Egret, 37 Pochard, Meadow Pipit, 80+ House Martin (possibly many more drifting over), 10 + Swallow, Siskin over (Neil Anderson/K. Bull) *Sewardstone, Mott Street,Trueloves, grid ref. TQ391976; '''Yellow-browed Warbler, calling several times 11:45-12:15 in pine belt (Andrew Middleton) and calling again & seen briefly along hedge near west end of belt at 14:35 (with Neville Smith). *Sewardstone Marsh: Stonechat on Patty Pool meads (Neville Smith). *Stratford, Olympic Park: Wheatear, 21 Meadow Pipit, f Yellow Wagtail, 4 Redwing N (Stuart Fisher) *Totteridge Valley: 5 Teal, 4+ Redwing, 33 Swallow (inc. flock of 32 flying South at dusk 18:50), Linnet, 2 Chiffchaff, Tawny Owl (Ian Ellis) *Walthamstow: Lockwood: Grey Plover '''still (Stuart Fisher) *Woodford Green: '''Osprey high over forest at 9.40am heading SSW.(Ken Murray) Saturday 1st October 2016 *Alexandra Park: 1st w fem Common Redstart late pm on western perimeter of cricket pitches and edge of cricket scrub. Common Whitethroat am (Gareth Richards) *Battersea Park late aft: 2 Yellow-legged Gulls on river ad/2cy, 14 House Martins SW, 3 Meadow Pipits W, Spotted Flycatcher (West Island Main lake), 3 Chiffchaff, male Firecrest (40m N of Rowen Gate), 12 Goldcrest, 7 Coal Tit, 38 Long-tailed Tit, 18 Goldfinch (Nick Senior) *Brent Reservoir: drake Ferruginous Duck, 2 Jack Snipe, Pintail, Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, 20 Snipe, 300 House Martin (Brent Birders) *Brookmill Park: Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam) *Cowley, Uxbridge: 3 Yellow Wagtails in field north of Manor Farm off St. Peter's Road at 16.15 (Roger Morton) *Dollis Brook (Totteridge): Gull Flock this evening on the field between Brook Farm open space and Wyatt's Farm open space at 1815, 3cy Caspian gull, 3 Herring Gull, 22 Black Headed Gull, and a Green Woodpecker (Samuel Levy) *Fairlop Waters: 2 Stonechats, 2 Swallows (Alan Bell) *Finchley (Garden): An intermittent flow of House Martins since 17:10 has produced so far 10 birds, heading Southwest. Another 14 over at 1835 heading South-west. Also a Grey Heron over heading North at 18:35 (Samuel Levy) *Fryent Country Park: Hawfinch near Barn Hill Pond at 08:45 (Joe Taylor). *Fulham Reach (Thames): 12 Eurasian Teal, 1 Tufted Duck, 136 Black-headed Gull, 21 Cormorant (Nathalie Mahieu). *Hackney Marshes: autumn arrivals - 6 Teal, 2 Little Grebe on the Old River Lea (Alastair Dent) *KGV Reservoir: 6 Goosander, Common Snipe, 2 Dunlin, Ringed Plover (Neville Smith). *London Wetland Centre: 1 Pintail, 1 Wheatear, 1 Peregrine, 1 Kingfisher, 3 Water Rail, 8 Snipe, 2 Siskin, 40+ Wigeon, 15+ Meadow Pipit (NW/SW) (WWT Website) *Pinner (HA5): Chiffchaff at the end of the garden (Jon Ridge). *Purfleet: 89 Redshank, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 31 Dunlin, 14 Ringed Plover, 38 Teal, 3 Yellow-legged Gull (Fraser Simpson) *Richmond Park: Wheatear, 3 Skylark, 50 Meadow Pipit, 2 Stonechat and 10+ House Martin (all the Bog), 3 Song Thrush, 2 Chiffchaff and Blackcap (Holly Lodge) (Hugh Bradshaw); Autumn bird count 62 species including - 6 Teal, Little Egret, Buzzard, Hobby, 2 Water Rail heard, 2 Kingfisher, c120 House Martin, 17 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Wheatear, 6 Stonechat, 3 Redwing, 8 Chiffchaff, c100 Goldfinch, 2 Siskin (RPBRG) *Rye Meads: Bittern (BirdGuides) *Ten Acre Wood area: 2 m Pheasant, 2 Buzzard, 16 Lapwing, 13 Skylark, 15 House Martin, c20 Meadow Pipit, Wheatear, 3 Redwing, 5 Mistle Thrush, 7 local Rook low N, 8-10 Reed Bunting, c30 Linnet (Neil Anderson) *Sewardstone Marsh: Water Rail in relief channel, 3 Swallow, 20+ House Martin, Sand Martin, Siskin, Bullfinch (Neville Smith). *Stoneleigh KT17: 51 House Martin w, 23 Meadow Pipit s. (Neil Batten) *Totteridge Valley: 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Swallow, Sparrowhawk, Grey Wagtail before rain stopped play (John Colmans) *Trent Park: 14 Mandarin Duck 9 m 5 f, 2 Teal eclipse m and f, 3 Blackcap 2 m 1 f, 2 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest (Robert Callf) * Walthamstow Marshes: 2 Yellow Wagtail bomb crater field, 2 Whinchat at western end of boardwalk, Kestrel, House Martin south (Harringay Birder) Also 1 Stonechat BCF, plus same or 2 more Yellow Wagtail side paddocks, 5 Swallows SW over stables (Alastair Dent) 4''' Whinchat at 3.30 3 (f) 1 (m) (Marcus Mitchell ) * Walthamstow Reservoirs: juv. '''Grey Plover (for 2nd day) on the Lockwood, though flew off to High Maynard briefly. 1 Common Sandpiper. Few Meadow Pipits over. 4+ Cettis Warblers, mostly on South side. 3cy, 2x 1cy Yellow-legged Gulls. 3 Wigeon, few Swallows, 30+ House Martin, 2 Peregrine, Goldcrest. (A Winstanley, J Partridge, P Whiteman) * Wanstead Flats: 3 Common Whitethroat, 10 Blackcap, 25+ Chiffchaff, c40 Swallow, 12 Sand Martin, 22 House Martin, 20+ Meadow Pipit, 2 Reed Bunting (Tony Brown) * Wimbledon Common: Spotted Flycatcher, Stonechat, Common Buzzard (David Wills). * Woodberry Wetlands: Common Snipe, Kingfisher, 3 Teal, Wigeon, 3 Egyptian Geese (Chris Farthing) Archived News LONDON BIRDING NEWS FROM ALMOST EVERY PREVIOUS MONTH SINCE JULY 2002 {C}